Paddle-wheel



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' A. F. RODGERS.

Paddle Wheel. No, 242,048. Patented May 24, I881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' ALBERT F. RODGERS,

OF PONTOOSUO, ILLINOIS.

PADDLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,048, dated May 24, 1881.

' Application filed December 17, 1880. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. RODGERS, of Pontoosuc, in the county of Hancock and State of Illinois, have invented-certain new and useful Improvements in Paddle-IVheels and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention. which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is a side elevation, the frame-work being broken away to show the eccentric collar and guide for operating the reciprocating paddle-hook bars. Fig. 2 is a detail view, in perspective, of the inner center or boss, with its hinged arms which play upon the eccentric collar; and Fig. 3 is an axial section of the wheel.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention contemplates certain improvements in feathering paddle-wheels with hinged paddles, as hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the annexed drawings, A is the shaft or axle, with its bosses B B, to which the arms 0 O are affixed. The arms on each side of the axle are connected to one another by oblique braces D D, which form rests for the hinged paddles E when these are in their upper or horizontal position.

Passing through staples or eyebolts in the arms 0 are sliding rods F, having hooks F at their outer ends, each pair of rods F (on opposite sides of the wheel) being connected at their lower end by a cross-bar, G.

A rod, H, is hinged at the inner end (close to the outer boss) of each of the outer arms, 0, passes upward in an inclined plane through an eyebolt, I, bolted to the middle of each of the cross-bars G, and is then bent down, after crossing the plane of the inner arms, 0, as shown at H, terminating in an eye, It, through which is inserted the outer'end of short arms K, which are pivoted at k upon the inner B. r The outer free end is bent at right angles,

face of the inner boss, of each of the arms K as shown at K, to form shoes or bearings, which slide upon the eccentric collar L bolted to the inner frame-work, M, of the wheel.

Encircling the lower part of collar L is a curved guide-bar, N, which is also bolted to frame M, forming a narrow curved slot, 112, to receive the shoes or bearings K of the hinged arms K after they leave the upper part of collar L.

The hinged arms K may be provided with springs for forcing their bearings K down against the rim of the eccentric collar L, on which they slide.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings. the operation ot' my invention will be readily understood. As the wheel rotates (turning to the right) the paddles E, as they approach the lower part and are swung over upon arms 0, are clamped and fixed in their position upon their respective arms successively by the hooked rods F F, which are drawn toward the center of the wheel by the hinged rods H, operated by the arms K K, and the eccentric collar L, with its guideslot m. After the paddles have passed, one by one, the vertical center of the wheel they are again released from their respective retaininghooks F and drawn up and out of the water perpendicularly without waste of power.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States The combination, in a feathering paddlewheel, of the arms 07 having hinged paddles E, hooked rods F F, connected by cross-bars G, having eyebolts I, hinged rods H, pivoted arms K, havingshoes or bearings K, and eccentrio collar L, having guide-slot m, the whole constructed and combined to operate substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT FRANKLIN RODGERS.

Witnesses:

ISAAC R. TERRY, CHARLES R. RODGERS. 

